Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 206:

In page 107, between lines 2 and 3, to insert the following: “(5) Not less than 20 per cent of the money recovered under subsection (1) shall be used for the purpose of promoting media literacy and digital empowerment.”.

This amendment seeks to ensure that the commission uses some of the moneys recovered from financial sanction to enhance people's participation in digital spaces and to be empowered in their engagement in the media. This comes from something I have pushed for a very long time, namely, that a portion of fines under GDPR should be reserved to be used to give people an understanding of their data rights and to give them the skills and abilities to assert their rights and to be in control of their engagement with online actors and the protection of their personal data. This would be in tune with the spirit of the directive, which is around shifting the balance back to individuals.

The issue is particularly acute in this context because Ireland has extraordinarily low levels of digital literacy. We have one of the lowest levels of digital literacy in the EU. That seems counter-intuitive considering the large numbers of large online actors and service providers but EU research has found that over 45% of persons in Ireland lack basic digital skills. That is an extremely high figure in the EU. Given that the fines will be for those who have broken codes, created online harm and breached the guidance in some ways, it would be appropriate to have a portion of the revenue go towards empowering and supporting the persons who are the victims of inappropriate online action. It cannot be linked directly but raising the general level of digital empowerment would be a constructive use of the fines. I urge the Minister to consider this proposal. I raised other slightly different issues related to protecting personal data but this proposal is more about media literacy and online empowerment. Something could be done in that area. It is partly about shifting the culture and power dynamic in a constructive way. It would be a very good use of some of those fines.